Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus



March 10, 1 931. 5, ALLEN 1,796,257

RAILWAY I TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 20. 1930 BZ 3/ iii 20 N R 17 5 32 I I 55 14 I 0 0 i 1 '6 UR Relay 5 4 F 45 i 44 Norma i $1: I 44 8 42 0, 15 ,12 '5 i 9 Code. T 0 I B Y p ra fin A 55 J 15*? \L l i B 55 14, :0 5? 56 ReverJeJu/zich 18 Code Relay 21 1 I P Y 50 B Fig. 2.

INVENTOR: "J /.M,A//en, 1

10 UM r A ATTORNEY 45 the switch is released.

Patented Mar. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES EARL M. ALLEN, lOF SWISSVALE PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR ,TO THE UNION SWITCH &, SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- 1 invention.

SYLVANIA PATENT OFFICE RAILWAY-TRAFFIC-CONTROLLING APPARATUS Application tiled August 20, 1930. Serial No. 476,544.

.modification of portions of the apparatus illustrated therein and also embodying my Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in eachof the views.

Referring firsttoFig. -1, th e reference character T. designates a railway track which is provided with switches and signals controlled from a central point, such asthedespatcliers office of a. centralized trafticecontrollingsystem. Two switches S and S and a signal C may, for example, be controlled by apparatus of this character, but the devices for controlling them are not shown in the draw- 111 lhe reference character S designates a manually operable switch which is normally locked inthe normal position by a lock ro d7 coacting with a dog 6, which dog is operated by amanually operable lever G. This lever G is normally locked in the normal position by an electric lock L comprising a segment3 fixed tothe lever, a dog l coacting with the segment, and anelectromagnet 5 arranged, when energized, to liftthe dogl out of its locking position and to thereby release the lever G. The lever G is shown in its normal position wherein the switch is locked'bythe 'coactionofthe dog6 and the lock rod .7.

hen the leverG isreversed, the dog 6 is withdrawn from itslocking position, so that Certain contacts 12 and 15 are operated by the switch S, and other contacts 11, 46, e7, 18 and 21 are operated by the lever G. -Themanually operable m ans for moving the switch S are notshown in the drawing, for the reason that they form no part of the present invention.

Associated with the switch S is a normal control relay C and a reverse control relay C. These relays are similar to the signal control relays at a remote station in a centralized traffic controlling system, and they are controlled from the despatchers office in such manner that either relay may be energized at will. Also associated with the switch S is a polarized indication relay P, and an approach locking relay A, the latter relay being controlled in any suitable manner so that it is normally energized but is deenergized when a train is approaching the switch S. Also associated with the switch S are a normal indication lamp I a reverse indication lamp 1*, and an intermediate indication lamp F, the functionsof which lamps will appear hereinafter. i

As shown in the drawing, switch S is locked The reverse circuit for relay P is closedwhen relay G is energized, relay C is'deenergized, lever G is reversed, and switch'S is reversed. This circuit is from terminal B, through the back point of contact 9 of relay C, front pointof contact 8 of relay C wires 16 and 17 reverse lock contact 18, switch contact 15 in the reverse position, wire 14, winding of relay P, wire 13, and the switch contact 12 in the reverse position to terminal 0.

I will assume that with the parts in the positions in which they are shown in the drawing, the despatcher desires to release switch S. To do this, he will deenergize relay C andenergize relay C thereby opening the normal circuit for relay P and closing the reverse circuit for this relay at the contacts o-f-the control relays, The reverse cirtact in'the normalposition, wire 14,'winding of relay P, wire 13, switch contact 12 cuit for relay P will be open at contact 18v of lever Gr, so that relay P will become deen- .ergized. Lock magnet 5 will then become energized, the circuit being from terminal B, through the back point of contact9 of relay C front point of contact 80f relay C wire 16, back contact 19 of relay P, front contact 20 of relay A, lever Contact 21, and the mag-' net 5 to terminal 0. Magnet 5 being'ener gized, the locking dog 4 will be lifted out of engagement with the notch inthe locking segment 3, so that lever Gr may be reversed to unlock the switch. After lever G is reversed and before the switch is reversed, both terminals of relay P willbe connected with ter-" minal O of the source of current, the circuit being from terminal 0, through switch coninthe normal position, andlever contact 46 to terminal 0. It follows that during this transition period relay-P is placed on short circuit and cannot be falsely energized due to crosses. or grounds.

'After switch S has been reversed, the reverse circuit for relay P will become closed,

so that therelay will again be energized in thereverse direction.

When the switch S is to be restoredto its normal position, lever G will be returned, to its normal position, and duringthe transition period whereinthe lever G is normal and the switch S is reversed, relay vPwill again be placed on short circuit througha path I which passes fromterminal O, through switch contact :12 in the'reverse position, wire 13,

' relay P, wire 14, contact 15 inthe reverse position, and lever contact 47 to terminal 0; Theoperator will then restore switch S to its 7 normal position and the desp atcher will again Thenormal circuit for relay P energize relay C and deenergizefrelay C H I V willthen again be closed,

,;;Re lay P maybe used to control any "suit v I able si 'nalin or indicatin a aratus. As

here shown,this relay controls two signal reglays DP and D which signal relays inturn control two signals El and E governing trafficover the sw1tch-S4 The circuit for relay D? includes a frontcontact 26 {of atrack relay for the section in which. the switch S is locked, but this circuit also includes a front contact 28 and anormal polar contact 29 'of relay P. The circuit for signal relay D likewise, includes a front contact of track relay -F as well as a neutralcontact 22;

and a normal polar contact 22 of relay P. Both of these signal relays will usually be controlled in part from the despatchers ofiice. The circuits for the control of the signals E-by their relays D will be obvious from the drawing. The track relay Fis energized in the usual-manner by a track battery 2.

, Relay P, together with thec'ontrol relays C, also controls the indication lamps I. d When relay P is energized in the normal direction and control relay CF is energized, the normal indication lamp I is lighted, the/CH- cuitbeing from terminal B, through the front rectionand relay G is energized, lamp P I will be lighted, the circuit being from termi- 'nal B, through contact 30, polar contact 81 in the reverse position, front contact 33 of relay G ,and lamp I to terminal 0. During the transition period in which relay P is deenergized, lamp T will be lighted by virtue of a circuit which includes theback point I of contact of relay P.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the control relays C and C are governed in accordance 1 with the usual circuits for controlling the switch relays of a centralized trafiic controlling system.' That is to say, these relays are controlled by anornial code relay K a reverse code relay K and a code operating relay J, as well as by the approach locking relay A. Relay J has a normally closed back contact 3'5'86, and a normally open front contact 3537 which closes before the back contact opens when the relay becomes en ergized. The two code relays Kare both normally deenergized,

w The normal control withapick up circuit which passes from terminal B, through front cont-act 35 -37 of ree lay J, front contact 38 of relay'K front point of; contact 39 of relayA, and the winding of relay U to terminal 0. This relay is provided with a stick circuit which passes from terminal. B, through back "contact 3536 of relayJ, back contact 42 of relay CR, front contact 48 of relay C and the winding of-relay C to terminal, 0. Relay G is provided with a pick-up circuit which includes front contact 35 37 of relay J, contact 40 of relay K front point of contact 41 of relay A, and the windingof relay C3;

Relay C is also provided with astick circuit which includes back m ma 3536 of relay J ,"back contact 44 of relay C front contact 45 of relay C and the winding of relay C An auxiliary stickcircuit i's-provided for relay C, which circuit passes from terminal B, through front contact 3537 of relay J, contact 2380f relay'K back point offcontact 39'ofrelay A, front contact 45 of'rela-y C and the win'diingv of relay C to terminal 0. A similar auxiliary stick circuit is provided for relay C which circuit includes contact 40 'of relay K and the back pointof contact 41 of relay A. w

. The circuits for the control of relay P are the same in Fig. 2 as in Fig. 1. The circuit for the lock magnet 5, however, diff fers from the circuit shown in Fig. 1, be-

relay o isiprovided loo ' magnet to terminal 0. Wire 84, which is included in this circuit, is also included in the control circuits for relay P, and, consequently, it is only necessary to use four wires between the control relays and the switch with the apparatus shown in Fig. 2, whereas with the apparatus shown in Fig. l five wires are required between these two points.

As shown in the drawing, switch S is the normal position, and the other parts of the apparatus are in the positions corresponding to this condition of the switch. When the switch is to be released, the despat'cher will energize relay K and will then momentarily energize the code operating relayJ. The energization of relay J will open the stick circuit for relay C and will also close the pick-up circuit for relay C Relays K and J will then become deenergized, whereupon relay C will remain energized by virtue of its'stick circuit. The lock L will then become released, so that the switch S may be reversed. When the switch is to be restored to its normal position, the despatcher will energize relays K and J, thereby de- Eli energizing relay C and again energizing relay G When the switch has been restored to its normal position, all parts of the apparatus will again assume the conditions in which they are shown in the drawing. In all other respects the operation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2 is the same as that of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Although I have herein shown and described only two forms of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Havingthus described my invention, what a I claim is:

1. Apparatus for controlling a manually operable railway switch from a remote point,

cation relay including a front contact of said reverse control relay and a reverse lock contact as well as a reverse switch contact, a circuit for said magnet lncluding a front contact of said reverse control relay and a normal lock contact, and indication devices for said switch controlled by said indication relay and by said control relays. I

2. Apparatus for controlling a manually operable railway switch from a remote point, comprising a normal and a reverse control relay, a polarized indication relay, normal and reverse contacts operated by said switch, a manually operable lock for locking said switch in normal position, a magnet for releasing said lock, normal and reverse contacts operated by said lock, a normal circuit for said indication relay including a front contact of said normal control relay and a normal lock contact as well as a normal switch contact, a reverse circuit for said indication relay including a front contact of said reverse control relay and a reverse lock contact as well as a reverse switch contact, a normally energized approach locking relay associated with the switch, a circuit for said lock magnet including a front contact of said reverse control relay and a back contact of said indication relay as well as a. front contact of said approach locking relay and a normal lock contact, and indication devices for said switch controlled by said indication relay and by said control relays.

3. Apparatus for controlling a manually operable switch from a remote point, comprising a normal and a reverse control relay,

a normal and a reverse code relay both of 3 which are normally deenergized but either of which may be energized at will, an approach locking relay associated with the switch, a code operating relay, a pick-up circuit for said normal control relay including a front contact of said approach locking relay and a front contact of said normal code relay as well as a front contact of said code operating relay, a pick-up circuit for said reverse control relay including a front contact of said approach locking relay and a front contact of said reverse code relay as well as a front contact of said code operating relay, a stick circuit for each control relay including a back contact of said code operating relay, and locking and indication means for said switch controlled by said control relays.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

EARL M. ALLEN. 

